Small clothing items such as socks, handkerchiefs, and the like are generally washed loose among larger clothing items. The smaller items get caught in the washing machine agitator and damaged, get caught and hidden in larger clothing items, and paired or grouped items such as socks get separated. After being laundered, the clothing items must be sorted, folded, and stored. For paired items such as socks, the sorting includes matching pairs together, which is time consuming.
There are several methods that people try in order to prevent losing small items in the laundry, keeping paired items together, and managing storage of paired items; however, existing methods have faults and none addresses the issue of sorting and storage of paired items. For example, there are several mesh-type bags available for washing small and delicate items. Mesh-type bags prevent damage to small items, but do not alleviate the sorting and storage problem at the end of the laundry process. Paired items such as socks can be held together by safety pins, clothes pins or other types of clips or holders, but pins can damage socks by rusting and staining, tearing small holes in the socks, or pulling threads out of the socks. Clothes pins or clips keep items together, but can come unclipped or caught by other articles of clothing, resulting in items becoming separated, or if they remain together, the items must be unclipped for convenient storage.
The present invention comprises a device for holding small clothing items together which overcomes the foregoing and other difficulties which have long since characterized the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, the small clothing item management system comprises a center beam and a flexible strap for securing items thereto.
In accordance with more specific aspects of the invention, a small clothing item management system comprises a rigid center beam and a rigid flexible strap which secures therearound. Clothing items are held on the center beam by the flexible strap. The strap holds the items securely during the wash and dry cycles of laundry and keeps paired items together during laundry folding and storage. Additionally, the clothing items are held flat against the center beam and can be stored either folded, rolled, or laid flat in a drawer or storage container or the like. Both the center beam and strap are constructed with durable materials to withstand the pressure and heat of the wash and dry cycles.
The small clothing item management system prevents loss or damage to small clothing items during the household washing and drying cycles, eliminates the need for sorting at the end of the laundry process, and assists in convenient storage and management of the paired items such as socks.